Ship&#39;s ventilator



Sept. 20, 1933.

V. J. SPELMAN SHIPS VENTILATOB Filed Dec. 16, 1937 Patented Sept. 20, 1938 PATENT OFFICE SHIPS VENTILATOR Vincent J. Spelman, Northport, Long Island, N. Y. Application December 16, 1937,Serial No. 180,205

I Claims.

' e The present invention relates to ventilating de-,

obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities' and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, construction, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a ships ventilator embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the parts shown in Figure l.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved ventilator which is weatherproof and will exclude the entry of rain while permitting free passage of air in either direction. A further object is the provision of a novel and improved ships ventilator which can be easily and quickly applied to conventional types of ventilators so as to render them weatherproof.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention as shown in the figures of the accompanying drawing, the device of the present invention is shown as applied to a conventional type of ships ventilator which comprises an upright hollow tube Ill of relatively large diameter having a substantially vertical, and somewhat flared mouth I I. As is usual, these ventilators are used in pairs, one being adapted to admit air to the hold, while the other is adapted to permit the escape of air from the hold, and frequently a blower or fan is provided between them to increase the circulation of air.

With the conventional type of ventilator, considerable trouble is experienced in bad weather when it is now necessary toclose the ventilators. The cargo frequently fouls the air rendering it dangerous to the men working in the hold, the tendency to spontaneous combustion of inflammable cargoes is increased, and 'in extreme changes of temperature, such as are encountered on the South American runs, the volume of air to be passed by the ventilators is too great to permit of their being sealed against the weather and damage is done by sweating of the cargo. However, if the ventilators are left open to the weather, rain can enter and cause great damage to the cargo.

According to the present invention, the mouth ll of the ventilator tubes is covered with a piece of material I5, such as metal or canvas which is provided with one or more apertures l6 of relatively large size. On these apertures are mounted tapering hollow tubes ll of flexible, waterproof material such as canvas which project outwardly from the apertures. These hollow tubes are preferably of considerablelength and weight, and due to their great flexibility normally hang down from their apertures so as to provide a long passageway through which the air must pass in going into the ventilator tube, thereby giving it a sufficient opportunity to settle against the sides of the tapering tubes where it may collect and drain off onto the outside rather than down the ventilator tubes. Preferably, the small tubes are tapering, being of the smallest diameter at their outer ends, so thatthe velocity of the air passing through them is substantially diminished before it reaches the disc-like portion I5, and this reduction in velocity tends to allow more of the mist and rain to settle from the air.

In order to facilitate the passage of air through the tapered tubes l! which are sufficiently heavy and flexible to hang down limp, they are provided with a plurality of interior round, hoops H! which tend to expand and hold them in a generally circular cross-sectional shape. As embodied, these hoops may be of metal and are sewed to the interior of the tapered tubes I I one of the hoops being provided at the small end while another is provided intermediate the ends of the tapered tube. None is needed at the inner end of the tube H, as the seam between the disc aperture l6 and the large end of the tapered tube provides a sufflcient means for holding the tapered tube expanded.

The disc-like member I5 is preferably attached to the mouth of the ventilator tube ill by means of a harness which comprises a plurality of straps 20 fastened by gussets 2| to the outer edge of the disc H and united in a plate 22 at the back of the ventilator tube H]. An eye 23 fastened to the plate 22 provides a means by which a rope 24 may be tied around the neck of the ventilator tube so as to hold the disc and its tapered tubes in proper position.

In bad weather, the disc and its harness is slipped over the mouth of the ventilator tube I0, as shown in the drawing, and air passing from the ships hold tends to lift the tapered tubes I! to a horizontal position so that the streams of air are discharged horizontally. In this position, the flow of air is sufliciently fast to prevent the entry of rain through the narrow mouth of the tapered tubes. On the intake ventilators, the tapered tubes hang down and air is sucked in upwardly of the tapered tubes. Only a small amount of rain tends to enter the small mouths of the tapered tubes, and this small amount which does enter quickly settles against the side walls of the tapered tubes, due to gravity and the lowering velocity of the air current, and can thereafter drain down and out of the tubes.

No attention need be given the ventilators as the ships course changes or as the direction of wind changes, as the tapered tubes automatically adjust themselves for either an intake or discharge of air and exclude the rain during either type of operation.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advan-' tages. I

What I claim is:-

1. A ships ventilator having a vertically extending mouth, an apertured weatherproof disc covering said mouth and a relatively long flexible tube of Weatherproof material attached to the aperture in said disc and depending therefrom.

2. A ships ventilator having a vertically extending mouth, an apertured weatherproof disc covering said mouth, means for detachably securing the disc to the mouth, a relatively long and narrow flexible tube of weatherproof material attached to the aperture in said disc and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom and means for holding the tube in expanded condition.

3. A ships ventilator having a vertically extending mouth, an apertured weatherproof disc covering said mouth, a relatively long tapered tube formed of flexible weatherproof material attached to the aperture and extending outwardly and downwardly from the aperture and hooplike meansfor holding the tube expanded for the free passage of air therethrough.

4. A device for weatherproofing a ships ventilator including in combination an apertured weatherproof disc to fit over the ventilator mouth, means for securing the disc to the ventilator, an outwardly extending and depending tapered tube attached to the disc aperture, said tube being formed of weatherproof canvas, and means for holding the tapered canvas tube to a generally circular cross sectional shape.

5. A- device for weatherproofing a ships ventilator including in combination a weatherproof disc to fit over the ventilator mouth and having a plurality of apertures therein, means for securing the disc to the ventilator mouth, an outwardly extending and depending tapered tube attached to each of the apertures, said tubes being relatively long and hoops within the tubes for holding them expanded. V

VINCENT J. SPELMAN. 

